President Biden’s Visit to Israel: Special Survey

Ahead of President Biden’s visit to Israel, a special IDI survey finds that Israelis are wary about the prospect of a new deal with Iran and split on the possibility that the presidential visit will lead to normalization with Saudi Arabia

President Biden | Shutterstock

* Chances of reaching an agreement. An overwhelming majority of Israelis (both Jews and Arabs) think that the likelihood of signing a peace agreement with the Palestinians in the next five years is low. The situation has not changed since 2019, when this view was held by 88% of respondents.

What do you think the likelihood is that in the next five years, a peace agreement will also be signed with the Palestinians? (Jewish sample and Arab sample; %)

* Two-state solution. A majority of Arab citizens of Israel, but a minority of Jews, say that they would support a two-state solution if it was again put forward as part of a peace agreement.

If Israel and the Palestinian Authority reach a peace agreement, would you support or not support the agreement, if it includes dividing the Land of Israel into two states, Israel and the Palestinian state?

%	Arabs	Jews	Right (Jews)	Center (Jews)	Left (Jews)
Sure or think they would support it	71	32	18	55	80

* Third Intifada. If no agreement is signed, a majority of Jews and a (large) minority of Arab citizens of Israel anticipate that a third Intifada will break out in the occupied territories.

What do you think is the likelihood of a third Intifada breaking out in the occupied territories, if a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict agreed on by both sides is not found in the near future? (Jewish sample and Arab sample; %)

* Will the Biden visit bring about a breakthrough with the Palestinians? A very large majority (82%) of the Jewish public do not believe that the efforts of the Biden administration will succeed in bringing about a breakthrough with the Palestinians.

To what extent do you believe or not believe in President Biden’s ability to bring about a breakthrough with regard to negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians? (total sample; %)

Don’t believe: Jews, 85%; Arabs, 64%

Believe in President Biden’s ability to bring about a breakthrough with regard to negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, by voting pattern at 2021 elections (total sample; %)

* Will the Biden visit lead to a breakthrough with Saudi Arabia? The Israeli public is evenly divided (with 44% on either side) on the question of President Biden’s ability to bring about a breakthrough toward signing an agreement with Saudi Arabia.

To what extent do you believe or not believe in President Biden’s ability to bring about a breakthrough with regard to advancing a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia? (total sample; %)

Jews: Believe, 46%; do not believe, 46%

Arabs: Believe, 35%; do not believe, 39%

* The Biden administration and Israel’s interests in the context of US-Israeli relations. The majority of Israelis (54%) do not trust the Biden administration to take Israel’s interests into account in shaping overall relations between Israel and the United States.

In the context of overall relations between Israel and the United States, to what extent do you trust or not trust the Biden administration to take Israel’s interests into account? (total sample; %)

Don’t trust: Jews, 57%; Arabs, 40.5%

In the context of overall relations between Israel and the United States, trust the Biden administration to take Israel’s interests into account, by voting pattern at the 2021 elections (total sample; %)

* Negotiations over the nuclear deal with Iran. The large majority of Israelis (75%) do not trust the Biden administration to take Israel’s interests into account during dealings with Iran regarding the nuclear deal.

In negotiations with Iran over the nuclear deal, to what extent do you trust or not trust the Biden administration to take Israel’s interests into account? (total sample; %)

Don’t trust: Jews, 79%; Arabs, 54%

In negotiations with Iran over the nuclear deal, trust the Biden administration to take Israel’s interests into account, by voting pattern at the 2021 elections (total sample; %)

The June 2022 Israeli Voice Index was prepared by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute. The survey was conducted via the internet and by telephone (to include groups that are under-represented on the internet) between June 27 and June 29, 2022, with 601 men and women interviewed in Hebrew and 154 in Arabic, constituting a nationally representative sample of the adult population in Israel aged 18 and over. The maximum sampling error was ±3.59% at a confidence level of 95%. Field work was carried out by Midgam Research and Consulting Ltd. The full data file can be found at: Data Israel

The special survey on President Biden’s visit was prepared by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute. The survey was conducted via the internet and by telephone (to include groups that are under-represented on the internet) between July 5 and July 7, 2022, with 503 men and women interviewed in Hebrew and 103 in Arabic, constituting a nationally representative sample of the adult population in Israel aged 18 and over. The maximum sampling error was ±4.06% at a confidence level of 95%. Field work was carried out by Midgam Research and Consulting Ltd. The full data file can be found at: Data Israel